Card index of the rotary type



Jan. 11, 1949. (5. w. TORRENCE ET AL 2,458,657

CARD INDEX OF THE ROTARY TYPE 1 W mm. W t M E 3 1M J a 4 If. m WA. Nev l l l I I I I l II a 2 .DII. 37 I 4 j (a 7 1 4 0 l 6 5 7V t\ H w A? @Q U w. a g m 5 n u 1 w I, I I 1| \m. \C l I: n Ac 2 m a -L 1 m a s, w a .m e F d h i F 1949. G. w. TORRENCE ET AL 8,

CARD INDEX OF THE ROTARY TYPE Filed Feb. 5, 1944 L 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WAC 171E105,

I Maw/1 1 ing the relation of tablets thereto.

Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD INDEX OF THE ROTARY TYPE George W. Torrence and Willis A. Calkins,

This invention has to do with improvements in card indexes of the rotary type.

A device of this nature forming the subject of our Letters Patent No. 2,384,355 issued Septemher 4, 1945, contemplates a series of closely packed supports or tablets hingedly mounted upon and movable with a rotating drum and so arranged that any one of them, as an index carrier, may be inspected at a common inspection position, a part of the series of such supports or tablets always being at a point above said inspection position and adapted to be released one by one to fall to the inspection position by gravity in its order, no chance delivery of a tablet being possible. In the present instance, and as an object, mechanism is provided for entire control of the series of tablets by a positive engagement of a member with each tablet in its travel as Well as for timed release of each at such inspection position thus giving the operator evenly timed periods of time for inspection and study of each index data as it comes to rest.

Another object in respect to the above is to furnish mechanisms including a member to positively engage each tablet of the bulk of tablets for moving the whole during a rotary movement as a unit of closely abutting members, and to provide a second member at the inspection position to release each tablet in. its order, the two members being timed one to the other for orderly operation.

To the end that the invention may be understood in all its details the appended drawings are provided as a part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the card index, the enclosure or casing therefor being shown in section;

Figure 1 is a diagram of a control mechanism;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, the casing also being in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of a series of tablets and a spur wheel Whose teeth are shown in position to engage with each;

Figure 4 is also an enlarged detail of an arrangement similar to that of Figure 3 as used at another position in the structure as a whole;

Figure 5 is an elevation of part of a tablet showing a slot or socket in one edge thereof;

Figure 6 shows a series of tablets in part, likewise illustrating a socket in each as in Figure 5;

Figures '7 and 8 are, respectively, a side elevation and a perspective of a drum or carrier show- Contrasted in general with known forms of r0- 1 tary card index machines which have a rotary carrier for index matter, the present invention provides supports or tablets for index material that lie in intimate packed relation so arranged that there is comparatively but a small gap in the series at the index inspection position in that a tablet that may next be delivered upon one of them under inspection as to its index matter lies above and in position to fall by gravity upon the same, and thereby no hand manipulations are required to bring a tablet to inspection position. A steady slow rotation of the series of tablets, therefore, brings each tablet separately into view for perusal without effort on the part of the operator, and by the mechanism employed each tablet is released in timed order and under positive control.

In the drawings I and 2 indicate a pair of erected frames enclosed in a casing 3, the frames being naturally fixed relatively but not so shown.

Mounted in bearings 4 of the two frames is a shaft 5 to which is affixed a pair of spaced discs 6, for example, Figures 2, 7 and 8.

Affixed to the shaft, also, is a beveled gear 1 with which meshes a pinion 8 on a shaft 9 journaled on the frame i, said shaft in turn having a beveled gear l0 meshing with a similar gear II on a shaft I2 to which rotation is imparted from a power source such, for example, as an electric motor 13 through suitable gearing, This gearing may include a friction clutch l3, as an instance, on one of the shafts of the gearing controlled by a lever system I3 the latter arranged to break the motor circuit I3 through a switch I3 see Figure 1 a slot l3 in the switch lever permitting a slight movement of the clutch for varying speed of tablet rotation without breaking the motor circult.

Thus, it will be seen, the carrier or drum made up of said shaft 5 and said discs 6 is rotated and may be started and stopped at will, or rotated at varying speeds as desired.

Hingedly mounted on and between the said discs 6 by hinge pins or rods [4 is a series of supports or tablets It at one of their ends. Secured to the shaft I2 is a spur wheel, or star wheel l6, which in this instance has a position midway the width of the series of the thus mounted tablets. Each of the latter has a groove or socket IT in its end each to receive into it a tooth of said spur wheel, the spacing of said sockets due to the evenly packed tablets being such as to readily receive the teeth in their travel.

Journaled on the frame I above the beveled gear 1 is a shaft l8 provided at one end with a beveled gear 19 which is in mesh with said gear 3 l, the other end of the shaft likewise having a beveled gear 20.

Arising from the frames l and 2 are arms 2| and 22, respectively, and these, as shown in Figure 2, extend toward the front of the structure to near the position of a gap-separation between two of the named tablets l5 as the inspection position. Journaled upon the said arms is a shaft 23 having a gear 24 engaging the named gear on the shaft t8. Mounted on said shaft 23 is a spur wheel, or star wheel 25, the teeth of which, as with the star wheel l6, engage in the said sockets I! of the said tablets.

It is noted in said Figure 2, but more particularly in Figure 3, that the gear wheel 25 has :a

position where it can release a tablet for falling to the inspection position at the work shelf a, Figure 1, while having control of the tablets of the bulk which has continuous progressive movement theretoward due to the action of the driving wheel [6, it being clear that since both wheels 16 .and 25 have the same number of teeth, and since both have the same rate of rotation the entire series of tablets will be rotated in an orderly manner, the engagement with, or the release of, a tablet at either wheel i6, 25 occurring at the same instant. In this connection it .may be stated that, in viewing .Figure 1, the weight of thetablets at right and left of the Wheel 16 results in a solid mass formation of the entire series so that meshing of wheel-teeth and tablet-sockets is assured. Any weight of the series of tablets above the center of mass rotation is, of course, imposed on the shaft 5 while those at the left of the center lie against the wheel 25, being released in their order thereby due to the in-step timing of both wheels.

In order that a tablet released by the wheel 25 may reach and lie 'flat upon a tablet already released and at rest on its mates below at the inspection position, it is preferable that the hinging point, Figure '1, of any such released tablet shall lie in advance of the end of that tablet released by said wheel 25. Thereby the hing-mg point for any one tablet is always within the separation space at said inspection position .or in such relation to the angle of such space as to precede the release of the tablet.

Naturally if hand operation is desired temporarily, the power may be thrown off by the provided means.

Since the Wheels t6 and :25 are in step with each other, and since .a delivered tablet at the inspection position is always at the work shelf a the degreeof rotary motion will always be such in the release of :a tablet at said wheel 25 that such released and falling tablet will occupy the exact position previously held by the tablet last inspected and which .has moved downwardly :away from such inspection position.

While a specific type of gearing structure has been described herein, as agreeing with the figures-of the drawing, it .is understood that other ways :are contemplated for accomplishing the end :sought.

Werclaim:

1. In in card index .of the rotary type, in co1nbinationwith a framing, azrotatable member supported thereon, and a :series of abutting index data carrying tablets Fhingedly mounted each at one of tits ends on the member, and each nor mally free 'to swing at its "other end each having .asocket therein, of a structure including mechanism adapted .to rotate the :member in a .con- :tinuous manner and having a rotatable :toothed portion whose teeth positively engage in the sockets of said tablets to advance certain of the latter with said member, and means driven by said mechanism also comprising a toothed portion whose teeth engage in said sockets of the tablets to positively control and advance the said tablets, the latter swinging individually in either direction on and with respect to the memher, said means at a given position for inspection of the tablets adapted to release the same one by one.

2. The invention recited in claim 1 wherein the said portion of said mechanism and the said means are arranged and adapted to rotate in unison.

'3. In a card index, a mechanism including in its construction ,a framing, a member supported on said framing to rotate, a series of index-data carrying tablets hingedly mounted at one of their ends on said member and free to swing individ- .ually thereon, said series of tablets at their other ends during rotation describing a substantially circular path, there being space between any two of said tablets in their travel .for inspection of said index-data, each of said tablets in its travel and as it approaches the position of inspection having a position overhanging an inspection position whereby it will fall through said space to the named inspection position,

gearing to rotate the frame supported rotatable member and to engage each individual tablet, .and .a spur wheel rotatably mounted at the said overhanging tablets and to engage them individually and to release them one by one to fall to said inspection position, the named gearing arranged and adapted to rotate said spur wheel, therate of travel of the tablets of the series being timed -to the engagement of each tooth of the spur wheel .in engaging the tablets to be released.

.4. Ina .card index, a mechanism including in its construction a framing, a member supported on said framing to rotate, a series of index-data carrying tablets hingedlymounted at one of their ends on said member and free to swing individually thereon, said series of tablets at their other ends during rotation describing a substantially circular path, there 'being a space between .any .two of said tablets in their travel :for inspection of said index-data, each of said tablets in its travel and as it approaches the position of inspection having a position overhanging said .separationspace whereby it will fall through .said

space to the named inspection position, .a gear affixed to the iframe supported rotatable member, .a spur wheel adapted to engage each tablet and for rotating the series of tablets in a body, .and driven .from said gear, .a spur wheel rotatably mounted at the overhanging tablets .and adapted to engage them and tomove .one .of them at a time to releasing position .and tor releasing it to per- .mitit to fall tosaid inspection position, and connections between the said gear and the last named spur wheel tor rotating thesame, the .spur wheels being so driven as to rotate ,in step with each other.

5. A card index mechanism including .in its construction a .framingaa member mounted thereon to rotate, a series of index-data carrying tablets ,hingedly mounted on said member free to swing individually :in the direction of member rotation, gearing for rotating the member and the tablets bodily, there being ,a position adjacent the structure as .a position ,for inspection or index data, there being a, separation space between 5 any two of the tablets at said position, certain of the tablets arranged to overhang the said separation space and each in its order adapted to fall by gravity in the rotation of the whole, gearing to engage and rotate the entire series of index data carrying tablets, a spur wheel engaging certain of the said overhanging tablets and adapted in rotation to release them one by one to fall through said separation space, and mechanism 6 released from the wheel one by one at said position.

7. The invention as defined by claim 6 wherein the member and the spur wheel are advanced at the same rate.

GEORGE W. TORRENCE. WILLIS A. CALKINS.

REFERENCES CITED between the said gearing and Said Spur wheel 10 The following references are of record in the engaging both for rotating said spur wheel, said gearing mechanism and spur wheel arranged to move all of the tablets at a uniform rate of travel.

6. A card index mechanism including in its construction a framing, a member mounted thereon to rotate, a series of index-data carrying tablets hingedly mounted on the member free to swing individually at one of their ends in the direction of member rotation, gearing to rotate the member, and a driven spur wheel whose teeth engage the individual tablets at their free ends, each in its order, to advance said free ends toward a given position at a given rate, said tablets being file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

